Adventures in CSR-Malaysia

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation

2006-08-21T09:01:00.000+08:00

It was by chance that we happened to see a website on the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Park. We had registered as members with the Malaysian Nature Society and stumbled on the website featuring the conservation park. The website said that we would be able to not only visit the park, but also to interact with the elephants, feed them and bathe with them. Mind you, I wasn't entirely sure about this bathing business but then you have to try everything once, right?
When we arrived there after visiting with the school kids at Rahman Putra, we were surprised. The park was small, but well kept. We first went to the bathing station where we made the acquaintance of Mawar and her larger companions, including one elephant from Thailand who apparently only understood Thai. The programme was well run - the staff appraised us that we are able to feed the elephants only the fresh fruits and fresh banana leaves provided and advised us what not to do around the elephants. We grabbed our share of the watermelons and banana leaves, stepped in front of the elephants and held the fruit up high in front of the elephants. Once the trunk were raised, we were allowed to slip the fruit into their mouths. We were also allowed to let the elephant take the fruit from our hands with their trunks.

After the feeding session, we took a ride on the bigger elephants. One tourist from Japan was so nervous about riding the elephant that she squealed all the way through the ride.

The third session consisted of having several people being carried on the elephant's back, and the elephant would wade into the river (it was really hot that day and you can't imagine how tempting the water looked) and then the elephant would purposedly lie down on its side, throwing the riders into the water. This I felt a slight trepidation because you had no way of knowing where the elephant would fall and may fall on you. Our group was too late to the sessi0n and only the first few could go so we stood off the side watching.

There was a viewing of a video but we skipped that, preferring to sit close to the elephants and watch them eat. We bought some T-shirts on the way back, and also a small donation to the park since they did not charge any entrance fee.

Altogether, this was a very special experience. The elephants were well cared for and there was a real sense that they loved the animals. There have been some corporate philantrophy that sustained the park but we wondered if more could be done. There had been an earlier scandal concerning Marcus, an elephant that fell from a truck and broke his leg. But when we were there, we were allowed a brief glimpse of Marcus and the vet, who slept right by the recovering elephant. The animal was on close 24 hour watch, as they had to constantly treat the wound and move the elephant from side to side to ensure that the muscles do not go into dystrophy.

Must come back...especially to see Marcus again.

Spelunking in Gua Tempurung

2006-08-21T08:51:00.000+08:00

Why did we decide we wanted to go cave exploring? The answer is as elusive as why anybody would want to go jump off a plane strapped to a parachute. The best reply would be that we had never done it before and it wasn't that far away. So we called Pak Long, asked him if he had ever done cave exploration (this was not entirely off the mark since he lived in Ulu Kinta) and before we knew it, he had agreed to come along. We purchased hard hats with proper lights, packed our torchlights, little resealable bags, the Nikon 5900 (had a little heart attack here, I was told we were going to be wading through water and it may damage the camera) and with a little bit more than apprehension drove to Gua Tempurung.

When we arrived, we decided to take the extreme package (little did we know this might entail crawling on top of bat droppings) and got all prepared. The guide was funny and enthusiastic and the cave? Well, let us put it this way - we wonder why we didn't do this earlier!

The pictures are a little blurry - partly because I didn't really have a good idea how to set the Nikon to the proper low light/dark settings but even if I had managed to get it all, it wouldn't do justice to Gua Tempurung. To think that we were walking through what would have been communist habitat not so long ago, where certain parts had been originally submerged under water - to see the sheer beauty of the stalagtites and stalagmites was a humbling experience. You really felt that you were such a small part of the universe. But don't let us convince you - see for yourself - one of Malaysia' s true national treasures...

CSR Rebung School Project

2006-08-21T08:16:00.000+08:00

The end of the school term holidays marked a new episode in the history of Integrity Towers, Persiaran Duta, Kuala Lumpur. 121 students from the Ministry of Education science-stream full boarding school and Maktab Sains Rendah MARA were brought together in a unique Malaysian Institute of Integrity project which wedded the aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility (more popularly referred to as CSR) with the focus of virtuous culture of education. 4 schools participated in this pioneer pilot project including SMS Alam Shah Cheras, MRSM Kuala Terengganu, MRSM Kuala Kubu Baru and Methodist Girls School, Kuala Lumpur.

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob, President of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity, encouraged all the participants of the project to take personal interest in the hopes of the Honorable Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi to envisage the flourishing human capital with well-rounded, outstanding individuals in our new generation of Malaysians. This same message was conveyed by Professor Emeritus Dato’ Khoo Kay Kim who presented the history of each race: Chinese, Malay and Indian as the main ingredient to bind the elements of integrity and inner strength to enable an integrated society. The concentrated effort to instill this value should be undertaken in a manner comparable to the Malay adage, “melentur buluh biar dari rebung” (to shape minds, begin in youth), according to Encik Mazilan Musa, Director of the Sociocultural Sector, Malaysian Institute of Integrity in his welcoming speech.

In accordance with the spirit of the traditional educational system that revered educators and celebrated the importance of proper etiquette in searching for knowledge, about 100 school head of schools and school principals from the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory and Selangor joined the participants in their taking the Oath of Integrity during the closing ceremony. The event proved to be even more festive with the presentation of a puppet show under the creative guidance of Nurol Asyikin Nadzir and Rahim, both theater enthusiasts and and celebrated puppet masters in our capital city.

Rounding off the authoritative voices of the pleno session, were Encik Rahim Haji Salim, Director of Training and Education MARA (Secondary Schools) and Encik Roslan Abdul Jelani, previously a lecturer of Values and Ethics at INTAN, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

The first chapter of the Rebung Education Project 2006 was then officially concluded by the Head Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Dr. Dzulkarnain Haji Awang.

The response from the participants was gratifying, thanks to the unified and concentrated effort of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity to sow and nurture the seeds of integrity in an effort to edify the core resilience of the new generation in facing the onslaught of current times. The continuing chapter of this history is now anxiously awaited by the forerunners of the country’s educators in particular, the schools on the fringes of the city and the suburbs. ---(Report by Mohd Rezaidi Mohd Ishak – IIM).

CSR -BELUM Forest Project

2006-06-28T10:19:00.000+08:00

The IIM team arrived at the jetty at approximately 10am, on April 29th, 2006. Tuan Hafiz of Commando 69 graciously welcomed IIM crew of 10 and the crew was taken by two motorboats across the beautiful river of Belum to Kem Zabri. The crew were shown to the guest chalets before the programme began.

A short orientation of the facilities was organized by Sergeant Johari who showed us the hall, the eating area, the communication center, the water facilities, housing areas as well as the natural surrounding. The camp was entirely built by the Commandos, each piece of brick, wood, cement bag, equipment (including generators) ferried entirely by boats from the jetty to the small, secluded area. Water is irrigated through pipes from higher ground and tested every 2-3 months for drinking safety. The natural plants and inhabitants, including a resident elephant whose watering hole is behind the compound live harmoniously with the camps’ crew of 17 (on rotation every 4 months). Medicinal plants of all sorts, including tongkat ali, kacip fatimah, pokok kapal terbang, sirih batu and kelentit kering, all known for their curative powers are left untouched and marked to identify them to tourists. Traps for rats, mouse deer and larger animals, all made entirely of bamboo and twine, are displayed near the plants for educational purposes.

After lunch, the IIM team was taken for a hike through the nearby trail in the thick jungle growth, we were shown a wild boar’s nest, and accompanied by 5 Commandos, introduced to vines that produce water when cut and squeezed, some wild-life on the ground, on the trees and some that can be heard but not seen. Due to some fallen logs, the trail is blocked and the team was forced to turn back.

The team building session began shortly after the return to the camp. Life jackets were given to each team members and we were asked to jump into the waters to test the jackets. Once each member was done testing the jackets, we were ferried to 2 rafts, made entirely of bamboo and twine. The team was split into 2 and made to race to the jetty. Halfway to the jetty, the facilitator commanded us to jump and swim the rest of the way to the jetty. Although some members had a natural fear of water, each team member succeeded in swimming to the jetty with assistance. After dinner, we were debriefed by the facililator, Sergeant Johari, and shared the experience and lessons of the exercise.

The next morning at 9:45am, the IIM team left in boats to the nearby Kampung Pulau 7, inhabited by 70 orang asli of the Temiar and Jahai clan. We carried groceries, assisted by members of the Commando 69 and brought sugar, cooking oil, rice and candy to the small but beautifully managed village. The head of the village, Tuk Batin Itam Bin Gading welcomed us to the village and escorted the crew to the community hall. After a short introduction of the IIM team by Encik Mohd. Rezaidi Mohd Ishak, the gifts were symbolically given to the villagers and the attention turned to the group of small children living in the village. Dr. Law Siew Fang, and the Private Sector team members gave out candies and engaged with the children with songs and games. Tuk Batin Itam Bin Gading consented to an interview in which he confided the problems facing the community in terms of housing, medical assistance and the loss of their young people to the city which is affecting longevity of their culture. In addition, illegal fishing and logging are threatening their home and livelihood, even though the area has been conserved, but not gazetted for their use. The area is blessed with rich soil and abundant fish but the slow corrosive effect of logging and irresponsible tourism is rapidly endangering their existence in Belum.

The team returned from the village an hour later to rest before having lunch and a wrap-up session by Tuan Hafiz, Sergeant Johari and each of the IIM team was given an opportunity to thank the crew on duty for not only welcoming us and to assist us in every way in possible, but to accompany us on each activity and for ensuring our safety at all times. The team left by boat to arrive at the jetty and arrived at the jetty at approximately 4pm.

Lessons learnt:

There were three guardians that the IIM team found within the quiet belly of the jungle. The most important thing that we take away from this team building experience is that our existence here in life is denoted by the three things we leave behind: this planet and all its beauty, our deeds and most importantly the impact that our deeds have on others.

We were in the company of silent guardians of our most cherished “khazanah”: The team of Commando 69 risk their lives, their comfort and by extension their families to patrol the borders, to keep our nation safe and they do this by working together and by espousing the ideals of the man for which the camp was founded for. Tuan Zabri was killed in the line of duty on his mission to follow-up on a communist attack. Due to a massive injury from a booby trap, he died on the way to medical assistance. These silent, strong guardians, hidden away in the dark folds of the jungle live among the natural treasure that belongs to Malaysians, never killing a plant or even stepping on the beautiful insects that stroll by the camp. They live their lives without glory and without the home comforts that we are used to in the city because they know they have a mission to complete and they know that isolated away from the nearest civilization, they can only rely and trust each other. This is the ultimate meaning of integrity, heroism and team-spirit. This is the spirit in which Malaysians live in everyday, ignorant of the cost to these men to keep us safe.

The 2nd guardians are the “orang asli”. Spending an hour with them, in their simplicity and their shy but warm reception is very much like finding sunlight after being trapped in a concrete jungle. We are reminded of the earth when it was not encroached with “progress” and when development meant that comfort was a roof over our heads and food on our table. The “orang asli” do not need the trappings of the city folk – they know what is essential in life are all already provided for by the earth. All that matters is living peacefully with the planet. Yet for all their devotion, the beautiful 300,000ha they call home is now under siege from logging and threatened by fear of loss of jobs. Once their home is gone, so will their way of life and all the age-old wisdom that they possess. While the revenue from logging may be recovered elsewhere, this is the final untouched reserve left – once gone is gone forever. What kind of legacy are we leaving behind if this happens?

The 3rd guardians in our encounter is earth herself. She quietly holds the medicines and the all the restorative powers in her breast in Belum – seeking only to give reprieve to those who come to Belum with the purest intentions. During our visit to Kampung Pulau Tujuh, the Commandos confided on how the tapioca is being researched for a cure for cancer. The healing powers on the plants is the last defence for Belum as it is the reason that parts of it are designated to be “research forest”. But more than this, this last defence is also our last defence. Disease is fast becoming an epidemic and Belum may not just hold an antidote for those who seeking medical help, but spiritual, mental and physical for the rest of us. If we surrender this to logging, we are surrendering the only cure we have for so many ills that plague us today.

What we take from Belum is not tangible. The question is, can we take the lessons bestowed upon us from these 3 guardians and reciprocate in return? Is it too much to ask that we protect this last piece of paradise and make it our legacy? Why can we not return to the basic human compassion of the “orang asli”, fortify ourselves with the spirit of Commando 69 and defend Belum for our next generation, if not for ourselves?

If we cannot do this, then the real meaning behind this retreat will be lost. Then we will need to ask ourselves again – “What will we leave behind?.”